Jessy Mendiola encourages people to be body confident

KAPAMILYA star Jessy Mendiola is on a mission to change the way people uses the word “fat.”

Recently, Mendiola admitted that she got depressed after body-shamers called her “pata,” “baboy,” “taba,” etc.
despite efforts to keep herself fit and sexy.

“When I won FHM’s sexiest woman in 2016, I thought… finally, people appreciate my efforts and my body. But I was wrong. I was bullied, body shamed with bashers calling me names like ‘pata, baboy, taba, etc.’ while others said I didn’t deserve to win the title cos I’m waaaaaay bigger than the other girls who they thought should’ve won,” said Mendiola on her Instagram post.

“I felt really down and started losing my confidence. I loved myself then (big thighs, belly rolls and round face) but when people started pointing out my flaws, I started hating myself, at times even thinking I was a bad person for having ‘thunder thighs.’

“I stopped working out, I got depressed, binge ate my feelings off and started gaining more weight than I should. I didn’t even want to be seen on TV anymore, I started turning down roles and it affected my work,” said the girlfriend of actor-television host Luis Manzano.

Despite this, Mendiola has learned to love her curves and hopes that her story will help more people to feel confident in their own skin.

“Then I realized, why should I feel so bad about myself when I loved myself even before i was called ‘sexiest.’ I thought of myself as sexy, strong and beautiful in my own way. I started building myself up again despite what other people say (until now they call me names) and have lost 15 lbs since.

“I learned to eat moderately and exercise to feel good, to be energized rather than by punishing myself for eating chocolates or that blueberry muffin. I started accepting my built and switched my work out according to my body type.

“I still see myself as the ‘pata girl’ and it’s okay, it is just a matter of perspective. When I decided to shift perspective, everything started falling into place. I may not be the sexiest for others, but I am sexy and beautiful for myself, that alone is enough. Shout out to every ‘pata girl’ out there, just keep going. Love yourself, love your body and it will love you back. TRUST ME,” said Mendiola on IG.